Earthquake Alaska Are We Prepared?
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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR GEOLOGICAL SURVEY EARTHQUAKE ALASKA ARE WE PREPARED? Edited by Rodney Combellick1 Roger Head2 RandaU Updike3 Open-File Report 94-218 Prepared in cooperation with ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES DIVISION OF GEOLOGICAL & GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS Alaska Division of Geological & 2Alaska Department of Transportation & 3U.S. Geological Survey Geophysical Surveys Public Facilities Reston, Virginia Fairbanks, Alaska Anchorage, Alaska 1994 EARTHQUAKE ALASKA ARE WE PREPARED? A conference on the status of knowledge and preparedness for earthquake hazards in Alaska November 19-20,1992 Anchorage, Alaska SPONSORED BY: U.S. Geological Survey Federal Emergency Management Agency Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities Alaska Division of Emergency Services Municipality of Anchorage ORGANIZING COMMITTEE: Roger Head (Conference Chair), Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities Rodney Combellick, Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Mike Webb, Alaska Division of Emergency Services John Aho,CH2M Hill David Cole, DOWL Engineers Robert Steward, Municipality of Anchorage EDITORS Rodney A. Combellick, Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Roger D. Head, Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities Randall G. Updike, U.S. Geological Survey Front Cover: View of Anchorage looking east soon after the great Alaska earthquake of March 27,1964. Many homes in the Turnagain heights subdivision were destroyed by a massive earthquake-induced landslide (foreground). U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photograph, courtesy of Alaska Earthquake Photograph Archive, University of Alaska (archive no. TRN-35). CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION Roger Head........................................................................................................................ 1 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS...................................................................................................... 2 SETTING THE SCENE Moderator: Rodney Combellick Historic Seismicity in Alaska Charlotte Rowe.......................................................................................................... 3 Earthquake Sources in Alaska John Davies................................................................................................................ 9 Geologic Evidence of Earthquake Frequency in Southcentral Alaska Rodney Combellick................................................................................................... 19 Comparison of Knowledge of Earthquake Potential in the San Francisco Bay and Anchorage Regions Robert Page................................................................................................................ 31 Regional Tsunami Potential Thomas J. Sokolowski and Paul M. Whitmore......................................................... 43 Potential Effects of a Major Earthquake on Structures in the Anchorage Area John Aho .................................................................................................................... 55 A Hypothetical Earthquake on the Castle Mountain Fault Randall Updike.......................................................................................................... 61 DISASTER RESPONSE Moderator: Mike Webb Disaster Response in Santa Cruz County Following the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake Gary Smith................................................................................................................. 69 Disaster Preparedness in the Municipality of Anchorage Larry Langston........................................................................................................... 77 Response of the Pajaro Valley Unified School District Following the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake Hank Hendrickson ..................................................................................................... 81 Disaster Preparedness in the Anchorage School District Tom Bibeau................................................................................................................ 87 in Volunteers as a Resource for Disaster Response in San Lorenzo Valley, California Mary Hammer............................................................................................................ 91 Disaster Response by the Southcentral Alaska Chapter of the American Red Cross Sue LaMunyon........................................................................................................... 97 LONG-TERM RECOVERY Moderator: JohnAho The Loma Prieta Earthquake Recovery Saga Charles Eadie............................................................................................................. 103 Public- Works Aspects of Long-Term Recovery in Anchorage Ken Canfleld.............................................................................................................. Ill Global Perspectives on Postearthquake Rebuilding George Mader............................................................................................................ 119 Reconstruction following the 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake George Sharrock ........................................................................................................ 127 The Hazards of Long-Term Recovery Paula Schulz............................................................................................................... 135 COMMUNITY PLANNING Moderator: David Cole Economic Impacts and Permanent Changes in the Aftermath of the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake Charles Eadie............................................................................................................. 145 Preparing for Disaster and Economic Recovery in Alaska Robert Gray................................................................................................................ 155 Lessons Learned from the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake Michael Dever............................................................................................................ 163 Lessons Learned from the 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake Mike Meehan............................................................................................................. 175 APPENDIX A - Acronyms used in this report.......................................................................... 183 APPENDIX B -List of workshop registrants and speakers...................................................... 185 IV INTRODUCTION by Roger Head Conference Chair Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities Anchorage, Alaska A conference entitled "Earthquake Alaska-Are We Prepared?" was held in Anchorage, Alaska on November 19 and 20,1992. Earthquake Alaska was a new concept in public education of the short- and long-term hazards associated with seismic activity in urban centers. The conference focused on the similarities of two "sister communities," one of which had experienced recent devastating impacts from a recent earthquake. The experiences over a wide range of community infrastructure were presented by numerous local professionals. Bringing the experiences of one community to another and comparing the attitudes and plans of the professionals provide a much more realistic and often surprising perspective of the multitude of problems the second community might face if a similar event strikes. The conference was held in Anchorage, a community well aware of earthquake hazards. In 1964 one of the largest recorded earthquakes struck southcentral Alaska, causing several hundred millions of dollars of damage. Since then, Anchorage has been shaken by literally hundreds of smaller earthquakes, none of which have caused significant damage. Anchorage is a modem and relatively young community. It was not settled until 1917 and experienced little growth until World War II. Most new structures comply with the seismic re quirements of the Uniform Building Code. The need for sturdy construction dictated by a colder climate, together with the prohibitive cost of importing materials associated with seismically unsafe unreinforced masonry structures, have resulted in the construction of buildings that are relatively earthquake resistant. However, parts of Anchorage are highly susceptible to earthquake-induced ground failure. Since 1964, there has been no earthquake damage to alert the public to potential hazards. Although the 1964 earthquake was a major blow to Anchorage, it serves as a poor illustra tion of the magnitude of problems the community can expect today in responding to a similar event. In 1964, Anchorage was a small community with a resident population of about 35,000. The biggest industry was the military, supporting both Elmendorf Air Force Base and Fort Richardson Army Base. Anchorage considered itself a pioneer community. Most residents were relatively self sufficient, using on-site fuel oil or wood for heating and were always prepared for power outages that occurred on a regular basis. Only a small part of the community had public sewer and water. Most residents had on-site wells and septic tanks. Today Anchorage is a quite different community. The population has grown to 250,000 and the city has an urban horizon of high-rise buildings. The modernization of Anchorage has eliminated the self-sufficient systems so prevalent in 1964. The community depends on public lifelines: natural gas, electricity, public sewer and water, and freeways complete with grade-separated interchanges. For these and other reasons, Anchorage was perhaps better prepared in 1964 than